Jan042018

Argus Leader

Rep. Kristi Noem touted a landmark Republican tax reform law Thursday as part of a three-day tour across the state.

The Republican who is also running for governor met with 11 women in Sioux Falls as part of the circuit and answered questions about the GOP tax law over chips and sandwiches.

Noem encouraged South Dakotans to read the plan and calculate how it will affect them rather than just accepting assessments from national news outlets.

“Go get on your search engine and find out what it’s going to mean for you and your family,” she said.

Among other benefits, Noem predicted the law would generate savings for South Dakota families, grow the economy and bring corporations back to the United States from overseas. She said the tour was aimed at helping people better recognize that.

“When you pass big pieces of legislation like this, people want to understand it. And I want them to be able to ask me because I helped write it," Noem told reporters.

Attendees at the lunch said they weren't yet sure how the tax law would affect them. They said they'd heard through media reports that the law would only affect top earners but anticipated that seeing more take-home pay would win over skeptics.

"I think seeing it personally will be a big plus for people," said Kate Christopulos, a realtor at Lloyd Companies.

Critics of the plan said Noem should have addressed the law in public forums, rather than in closed settings. Noem said she would continue discussion about the bill in public forums and smaller settings in coming months.

She is set to meet with constituents in Watertown and Aberdeen on Friday to talk about the law.